If you suspect your baby may be suffering from Cow’s Milk Allergy or any other type of digestive illness, it is always best to see your pediatrician for a proper medical diagnosis and treatment. Cow’s Milk Allergy impacts 17% of babies and can cause a wide variety of symptoms so it can often be difficult to distinguish the allergy from other digestive illnesses which have different treatments, so it is it is important to get a professional diagnosis for any issue. 

To properly diagnose and treat your baby’s digestive issues, the pediatrician will have many questions about what your baby has been experiencing, and they may tell you to take some time to monitor certain symptoms before they are able to give an accurate diagnosis. If you suspect your baby has some sort of digestive illness, here are some key things to pay attention to prior to seeing your pediatrician so you can make the most out of the visit to their office: 

-If your baby is fussy or uncomfortable, is it during or after feeding? If it’s after, how long after? 

-Are they spitting up often during or after feeding?  

-Are they having any other stomach issues? Vomiting, excessive gas, or painful stomach aches? 

-What does their stool look like? Hard, soft, or even diarrhea or constipation? Is there any blood or mucus present in it?

-Has your baby experienced any sort of rash? What kind of rash? Dry skin (eczema), blotchy, dotted, swollen? (Pictures may help) 

-Is there any swelling or rash around their mouth and face? 

-How often do you feed your baby, and at what times? 

-What type of formula do you use, if any? 

-Have they refused to consume breast milk or formula that they previously consumed with no issue? 

-If symptoms occurred after you fed your baby formula, how long after? Immediately, hours, days, or weeks? 

-Is your baby’s sleep being disrupted due to being in pain or uncomfortable? 

-If you breastfeed, do you have any common allergens in your diet? Mothers can pass things they consume to their babies through breast milk. 

-Be sure to monitor their weight gain and growth over time, as this is very indicative of their overall digestive health. 

If your baby is experiencing anaphylaxis, or a severe and sudden allergic reaction resulting in an inability or extreme difficulty to breathe, immediately call 911 or bring your baby to the nearest hospital, as these symptoms can be life threatening. 

Unfortunately, the current hypoallergenic formulas used to treat Cow’s Milk Allergy are subpar, coming with many side effects and sacrifices, such as diarrhea and vomiting, a terrible taste and smell, and reduced nutritional value. By using breast milk components instead of cow’s milk, Harmony is naturally hypoallergenic and easy to digest while delivering top nutrition, making it a better option that is closer to breast milk for not only allergic babies, but all babies regardless of whether they experience digestive issues. 

Learn more about Cow’s Milk Allergy on our page Cow’s Milk is for Calves. 

Photo credit: Family Medical Practice Hanoi